Machine for stringing tobacco leaves



Feb. 12 1,924.

1,483,558 c. w. sPoNsEL MACHINE FOR STRING-ING TOBACCO LEAVES Filed OGC.5, 1921 .',WM/A/WJ l;

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J Il T Feb. m 1924. 1,483,558

C.WLSFONSEL MACHINE FOR STRINGIG TOBACCO LEAVES Filed Oct. 5, 1921 3Sheets-Sheet 2 @ya 2G figg.;

ATTORNEY Feb. 12 ,.1924. A y 1,483,558

C. SPONSEL MACHINE FOR STRINGING TOBACCO. LEAVES Filed oct. s. 1921 :ssheets-sheet Afro/@wer Patented Feb. l2, i924.

CHARLES W. SPONSEL, F WETHERSFIELD,

COMPANY, OF

F T tf CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SPONSEL 221' RTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ACORPORATION 0F CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR STRINGING TOBACCO LEAVES.

Application led October 3, 1.921..l Serial No. 504,855.

To all 'whom it may concer/n.:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. SPoNsEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wethersfield, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines forStringing Tobacco Leaves, of which the following is a specification.

lt is customary to hang picked leaves of tobacco on laths and place thelaths on racks in sheds for curing. This invention relates to a machinefor threading the stems of picked leaves of tobacco upon strings whichare designed to be fastened to the laths.

The object of the invention is to provide a very simple economicallyoperated machine which will rapidly, accurately and securely thread theleaf stems on the strings which are used to fasten the leaves to thelath. The stems of two leaves are usually fed to the machine by anattendant at one time. The two stems presented to the machine aregripped and while held are pierced by a hooked spear whose point passesthrough the eye of a needle around which the loop of a doubled string isbent, the ends of the string being fastened to a support so that thestring will be taut. rlhe needle then lowers and carries the looped endof the string into the path of the hook which withdraws slightly andpulls the str-ing from the needle. The needle and one of the grippingjaws is thenl lifted out of the way and the other gripping jaw isadvanced so as to push the pairs of stems from the spear over the hookonto the doubled string. yThe pushing jaw is then withdrawn and when outof the way the needle and other jaw are lowered, the needle passingthrough the loop of the string held by the hook. The hook is thenslightly advanced through the needle so as to leave the loop of thestring on the needle after which the needle with the string is slightlyraised. When the string is free from` the hook, the hook is drawn wayback leaving the parts yin position to receive the next set of stems andrepeat the cycle. of movements .which threads the stems onto the string.After the string has received a full complement'of pairs of leaves itsends are attached to the lath by another attendant, the lath having beenplaced on the table in Aposition to lfacilitate this. These movementsare, in the machine illustrated, accomplished by three cams arranged tooscillate three levers connected to, at the proper times.

determined by the formation of the cams, reciprocate horizontally thehooked spear and the pusher with one gripping jaw, and reciprocatevertically the needle with the other gripping jaw.

Figure 1 in the accompanying drawings shows a plan View of the machinewith a string 'threaded with leaves fastened to the ends of a latharranged on the top of the table. Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of themachinewith a, few leaves threaded on the doubledstring. Fig. 3 shows avertical section on larger scale of the operating mechanism. Fig. 4shows an end elevation of the operating mechanism. Fig. 5 shows a planof the operating mechanism. Fig. 6 shows a larger plan of the grippingjaws. Fig. 7 shows a face view of the gripping jaw attached to thevertically movable needle slide. Fig. 8 shows a face view of thegripping jaw that is attached to the horizontally movable pusher slide.F'ig. 9 shows an edge view of the needle. Fig. 10 shows a side view ofthe needle and hook. Fig. 11 shows a ction of the needle on the planeindicated by the dotted line 11-11 on Fig. 10. Fig. 12 shows the partsin the position in which they receive the stems. Fig. 13 shows' thestems gripped. Fig. 14 shows the stems pierced by the hook. Fig. 15shows the needle lowered. Fig. 16 shows the hook taking the string fromthe needle. Fig. 17 shows the needle and one gripper jaw lifted. Fig. 18shows the stems pushed from the spear onto the string. Fig. 19 shows thepusher partly withdrawn. Fig. 20 shows the pusher completely withdrawnand the .needle coming down. Fig. 21 shows the needle way down inposition to receive the string from .the hook. Fig. 22 shows the hookadvanced and the needle receiving-"the string. Fig. 23

shows the'fneedle lifted to free the string from the hook after whichthe hook returns to the original position illustrated in Fig. .12.

The active members of they machine are mounted in a frame 1 which may becast in one or more parts. This frame is fastened to any suitablesupport, being shown as attached to the side near one end of a table 2that has legs 3 of convenient length. Pivotally mounted on` a stud 4screwed into the frame is a vertical lever 5 the upper endl of whichengages with the slide 6 that moves horizontally in a way 7 in the topvof the frame. The front end of this silde carlries a Spear 8 which has apointed hook 9 this slide is the shank 15 of the pusher block 16 whichhas a V-groove in its front face. Thel pusher shank is loosely held inthe pusher slide and is thrust forward by a spring 17. lThe lower partof the pusher block has an opening 18 through which the hook of thespear may pass. A plate 19 is inserted in the top of the frame under thecap to separate the pusher slide from the spear slide. Pivotally mountedon astud 20 screwed into the frame is a horizontal lever 21 the frontend of which is connected to a slide 22 that is movable vertically in away 23 in the frame and is held in position by a cap 24. The upper endof this slide carries a needle 25 that has a long eye 26 and a notch 27in its rear edge. The needle slide also carries a block 28 which has aV- groove in its back face opposite the V-grove in the face of thepusher block, and a slot 47 in its lower edge for the .passage of thehook. When the horizontally movable pusher block is drawn away from thevertically movable gri ping block there lis a space between the locksinto which the stems to be threaded are placed. When the verticallymovable block is down and the horizontally movable block is forward thelleaf-stems are gripped between the blocks .Owing to the V-shape of thegrooves in the blocks' and the yielding of the shank of the pusherblock, it makes no difference whether the stems are both large or bothsmall or one is large and the other is small, the stems will be centeredand tightly gripped in the path of the spear. Attached to the needleslide over the top of the spare between the blocks is a plate 29 that isheld down by a flat spring 30. This plate forms a stop or gage for the'ends of the Istems when they are placed between the blocks.

The lever which reciprocates the spear slide has a roll 31`that travelsin a cam groove 32 in a cam disk 33 fastened .on the shaft 34 which issupported by the frame, and in the form of machine illustrated isprovided with. a crank handle 35. The lever which reciprocates the pusheblock has a roll 36 -which engages a cam groove 37 in av disk 38 that iskeyed to the crank shaft. rihe lever that reciprocates the needle slidehas a roll 39 which travels in a cam groove 40 in a disk 41 that iskeyed to the crank shaft. These three cams mounted on the same crankshaft are all shown as box cams suitably timed to cause the levers tooscillate for the purpose of reciprocating the spear slide, the pusher.slide and the needle slide at the proper moments to cause them toperform their functions of gripping the stems, piercing the stems,pushing the stems off from the spear onto the doubled string and thenreturning into position for receiving other stems and repeating thecycle of operation.

Attached to the front of the machine toward the left hand side is an arm42. The string 43 upon which the leaves are to be threaded is doubledaround the hook and the ends temporarily fastened to this arm with thestring under tension. This arm may be the lath to which the leaves areto be fastened if desired.. The leaves are customarily picked up onewith each hand from piles on opposite sides of the operative and face toface. the stems are thrust between the gripping and pushing blocks. Inthe machine illustrated vone turn of the crank by hand or any othersuitable power causes the mechanisms to coact and thread the stems onthe string. After the desired number of stems are threaded on the stringthe looped end is disengaged from the needle and its ends unfastenedfrom the arm. Should the arm be the lath to which the strings are to befastened, but one end of the string is released. One length of thedoubled string is then withdrawn from the stems and the ends of thestring are ready to be fastened to the lath which is to be placed on therack in the curing shed. When the string is released the threaded leavesmay be laid flat upon the top of the table and after being spaced theends of the string are fastened to the ends of the lath 48 which is laidin a receiving groove 44 in the top of the table ready for the purposeif the lath itself is not used in place of the arm. The wall of the lathgroove or the top of the table may if desired be graduated so as tofacilitate spacing the leaves. Should the leaves be heavy the threadedstring may be fastened at the middle by short pieces of twine 45 laidready for the purpose in a notch 46 in the wall ofthe lath groove.After-the string has been suitably connected'at each end to the lath,the lath with the leaves is removed to the racks in the shed. With thismachine one operative rapidly feeds the leaves in pairs and causes themachine to operate for stringing the stems while another attendantspaces the leaves, fastens the ends of the strings 28 attached to theneedle slide andthe pusher block 16 on the slide 12, Fig. 12. The. firstmovement advances the pusher block and clamps the stems between thatblock and the gripper block, Fig. 13. The spear then advances piercingthe stems thus gripped until its hooked end passes through the eyeof theneedle, Fig. 14. The needle is then lowered until the loop of the stringis back of the hook of the spear, Fig. 15. With the parts in vthisrelation the spear is drawn back drawing the loop of the string backwith it olf from the needle, Fig. 16.

The needle then rises leaving the stringlooped about the hook of thespear, Fig. 17. After this the pusher is advanced Still further so thatthe block 16 pushes the leaf stems o from the spear 8 onto the string-43, Fig. 18. The pusher is then withdrawn back of the hooked end of thespear, Fig. 19. The next movement causes the pusher to withdraw to itsoriginal position and the needle to startv downward, Fig. 20. The needlecontinues downward passing through the loop of string held by the hookof the spear, Fig. 21. The spear is then slightly advanced so as toleave the looped string on the needle, Fig. 22, after which the needleis raised to lift the string above the hookedend of the spear, Fig. 23.Finally the spear is withdrawn and the parts assume the relations shownin Fig. 12, ready to repeat this cycle of operations.

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising means for theattachment of a string, longitudinally movable means for piercing leafstems, and means for pushing stems from the piercing means on to thestring.

2. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising means for theattachment of a string, means for gripping leaf stems, means forpiercing leaf stems held by the gripping means, and means for pushingstems from the piercing means on to the string.

3. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising means for theattachment of a string, means for centering and gripping leaf stems,means for piercing leaf stems held by the gripping means, and means forpushing stems from the piercing means on to the string. l

4. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising means for theattachment of a string. yielding means for centering and gripping leafstems, means for piercing leaf stems held by the gripping means andmeans for pushing stems from the piercing means on to the string.

5. A machine for'stringing tobacco leaves comprising means for theattachment of .an end of a string, means for piercing leaf stems. saidpiercing means adapted to engage the other end of the string, means forpushing stems from the piercing means on to the string, and means fordisengaging the string from the piercing means.

6. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising means for theattachment of the end of a string, means for centering and gripping leafstems, means for piercing stems held by the gripper, said piercing meansadapted to engage the other end of the string, means for pushing stemsfrom the piercing means on to the string and means for disengaging thestring from the piercing means.

'7. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising a reciprocatoryspear for piercing leaf stems, said spear having a hook adapted toengage the loop of a string, reciprocatory blocks for gripping leafsteams While they are being ierced, one of said blocks adapted to puslithe pierced stems from the spear on to a string engaged by the hook, anda reciprocatory needle adapted to disengage the string from the hook ofthe spear.

8. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising a' horizontallymovable slide carrying a hooked piercing spear, means for reciprocatingthe spear sllde, a horizontally movable slide carrying a gripper andpusher block, means for reciprocating the pusher slide, a verticallymovable slide carrying a needle and a gripper block, and means forreciprocating the needle slide.

y9. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising a horizontallymovable slide carrying a hooked piercing spear, means for reciprocatingthe spear slide, a horizontally movable slide carrying a gripper andpusher block, means for reciprocating the pusher slide, a verticallymovable slide carrying a needle, a gripper block and a gage plate, andmeans for reciprocating the needle slide.

' 10. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising a horizontallymovable block' and a vertically movable block having V-grooves in theiradjacent faces for ,centering and gripping leaf stems, means forreciprocating said blocks into and out of the paths of each other, aspear with a hooked end movable horizontally through said blocks forpiercing stems gripped thereby, and means for reciprocating said spear.

11. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising a verticallymovable needle with an eye, means for reciprocating the needle, ahorizontally movable spear with a hooked end, and means forreciprocating the hooked end of the spear through the eye of the needle.

12. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising a verticallymovable needle with an eye, a vertically movable gripper block, ahorizontally movable spear with a hooked end, a horizontally movablegripper and pusher block, and levers and cams for reciprocating thehooked end of the spear through the eye of the needle and reciprocatingthe blocks into and out of the paths of each other.

13. f A machine for stringing tobacco leaves comprising a verticallymovable needle with an eye, a' vertically movable gripper block, a leverand cam for reciprocating the needle and gripper block, a horizontallymovable spear with a hooked end, a lever and cam for reciprocating thespear, a horizontally movable gripper and pusher block, and a lever andcam for reciprocating the pusher block.

14.. A machine for Stringing tobacco leaves comprising a reciprocatorypiercing hook,

a reciprocatory pusher movable lengthwise of the hook, a reciprocatoryneedle movable transversely of the hook and pusher, and means forreciprocating the hook across the path of the needle and reciprocatingthe needle across the path of the hook, whereby a looped string will betransferred back and forth from needle to hook.

l5. In a machine for Stringing tobacco leaves the combination with ahooked spear for piercing leaf stems, of means for centering andgripping stems of varying size while they are being pierced by thespear, said means comprising al pair of blocks having V-shaped opposingfaces, one of said blocks being yieldingly supported.

CHARLES W. SPONSEL.

